Total births
52,802
Boys' name · since 1885
Dawson
Dawson has 52,802 recorded births since 1885 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1999 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #139
- among boys today
- 52,802
- born since 1885
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.0%
- more common than other boys
Dawson currently ranks #139 among boys' names in America, with 52,802 babies recorded since 1885.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dawson has been recorded 52,802 times among boys since 1885, currently ranked #139 nationally and more common than 99.0% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1885 to 2025.
- #139 among boys today
- 52,802 born since 1885
- 2000s peak decade
- 99.0% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dawson is currently the #139 boys' name in America, more common than 99.0% of boys - 52,802 born since 1885, peaking in the 2000s.
- #139
- among boys today
- 52,802
- born since 1885
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.0%
- more common than other boys
Dawson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#139
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.0% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Dawson was born in this single decade.
1999
Single peak year
2,802 babies were named Dawson in 1999 - its busiest year on record.
How Dawson compares
52,802 Top 3% higher than 97% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Dawson's all-time total is 144x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dawson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 52,802 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 2,802 | 23 | 22,252 |
Dawson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dawson's SSA record in two at 1961 and the more recent half accounts for 97% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 3%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1885, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1999 peak of 2,802, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dawson at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1999
Current rank
#139
Active since
1885
Dawson popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1885–2025
- Peak year (1999)
- 2,802
- Annual births at peak, across 141 years of records
Dawson popularity over time - girls
1,397 total births recorded since 1998 (Dawson as girls' name)
Dawson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Dawson's strongest decade.
16,868 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Dawson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 26
1880s
26 births
- 1890s 19
1890s
19 births
- 1900s 38
1900s
38 births
- 1910s 220
1910s
220 births
- 1920s 304
1920s
304 births
- 1930s 231
1930s
231 births
- 1940s 264
1940s
264 births
- 1950s 233
1950s
233 births
- 1960s 159
1960s
159 births
- 1970s 211
1970s
211 births
- 1980s 354
1980s
354 births
- 1990s 5,750
1990s
5,750 births
- 2000s
2000s
16,868 births
- 2010s
2010s
14,803 births
- 2020s
2020s
13,322 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 16,868 births (32% of all-time use).
How Dawson compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Dawson's total volume
Dawson vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Dawson by state
Where Dawson concentrates geographically, total births since 1885
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 3,486 | 6.6% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 2,425 | 4.6% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 2,134 | 4.0% |
| #4 | Florida | | 2,084 | 3.9% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 2,063 | 3.9% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 1,984 | 3.8% |
| #7 | California | | 1,881 | 3.6% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 1,809 | 3.4% |
Texas share of Dawson's total US births 6.6%
Even split
3,486 of 52,802 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Dawson appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dawson? ▼
Dawson has been given to 52,802 babies in the U.S. since 1885, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #139 as of the latest data. 2,802 babies were born in 1999, its single highest year.
When was Dawson most popular? ▼
Dawson was most popular in the 2000s decade with 16,868 total births. The single peak year was 1999.
Where is Dawson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dawson are Texas (3,486 births), Georgia (2,425 births), North Carolina (2,134 births).
How long has the name Dawson been used? ▼
Records for Dawson go back to 1885, giving 141 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Dawson? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dawayne, Dawn, Dawud, Dawan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dawson's data
- Dawson's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (16,868 total births) through the 2020s (13,322) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Dawsons (3,486 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dawson
Nearby Names Like Dawson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dawson
Dawayne Boy
#10034 1,690 births
Dawn Boy
#11080 1,039 births
Dawud Boy
#2888 1,030 births
Dawan Boy
#11130 817 births
Dawsyn Boy
#4044 582 births
Compare Dawson side by side: Dawson vs Dawayne Dawson vs Dawn Dawson vs Dawud
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dawson
Matteo #138
33,483 births · Peak 2024
Calvin #140
221,064 births · Peak 1924
Juan #137
365,606 births · Peak 2005
Leon #141
182,638 births · Peak 1924
Connor #136
234,546 births · Peak 2004
Dean #142
192,930 births · Peak 1961
Carlos #135
307,036 births · Peak 2001
Evan #143
287,701 births · Peak 2007
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1885–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dawson: #139 Boys' Name - 52,802 Births, Peak 1999." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dawson. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dawson draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.